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Piloting Participatory Designing within a Collaborative Learning Environment
Article

, Centre for Research on Networked Learning and Know, Finland

Journal of Interactive Learning Research Volume 14, Number 2, ISSN 1093-023X Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the nature of virtual designing in a collaborative learning environment (Future Learning Environment, FLE2). We organized a collaborative design course in which six teams of first-year university-level textile students (N=24) solved an authentic and complex design task (designing conference bags) with the help of FLE2-environment. The course was based on the idea of participatory design process; the students were expected to share their design process with an intended user (i.e., an avid conference goer) of the product. The methods of social network analysis were applied to study interaction between the students, teacher, and the users in the FLE2 database. Qualitative content analysis was applied to analyze the design thinking, design activities, and interaction within two of the design teams. The results indicated that in the more successful group, the user took a role of co-designer by participating in the design process through evaluating design ideas produced by students. In the case of the less successful team, the teachers and users took the role of organizing students' process of working with FLE2 and their collaborative designing. This group did not deliberately test their ideas with the expert user.

Citation

Lahti, H. (2003). Piloting Participatory Designing within a Collaborative Learning Environment. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 14(2), 185-207. Norfolk, VA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved March 28, 2024 from .

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